Dictionary

sheng nu en · NOUN

Etymology

Borrowed from Mandarin 剩女 (shèngnǚ, “leftover woman”). Typologically compare Turkish kalık (“residue, leftover; leftover woman, spinster”).

Meanings

1. (derogatory) A woman in her mid- to late twenties and not yet married, particularly an unmarried successful businesswoman.
   • 2010 Schott, Ben (15 March 2010). "Leftover Ladies & 3S Women". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 April 2013. The increasing prevalence of shengnü in China has boosted the number of shengnan – leftover men.
   • 2012, Sebag-Montefiore, Clarissa (August 21, 2012). "Romance With Chinese Characteristics". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-12-24. Women, meanwhile, must be married by 27; after that they are branded sheng nu or “leftover women.” (This derogatory term — whose prefix “sheng” is the same word used in “leftover food” — was listed as a new word in 2007 by the Chinese Ministry of Education).
   • Most of these parents come to this “marriage market” out of concern for their child being sheng nu (leftover women) or sheng nan (leftover men))—a rather stigmatized term for a growing number of young men and young women in their late twenties and early thirties who are well educated and career-minded but still single. 2012, Robert L. Moore and Li Wei, "Modern Love in China", in Michele Antoinette Paludi, The Psychology of Love, volume 1, page 31
   • In 2007, the Women’s Federation defined “leftover” women (sheng nu) as unmarried women over the age of 27 and China’s Ministry of Education added the term to its official lexicon. 2012, Fincher, Leta Hong (12 October 2012). "OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR; China's 'Leftover' Women". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 April 2013
   • In China, the growing ranks of educated unmarried females are referred to as sheng nu, or “left—over women.” 2013, Liza Mundy, The Richer Sex: How the New Majority of Female Breadwinners Is Transforming Our Culture, page 211:
   • "I'm definitely a 'sheng nu' (leftover woman). Women should learn to take it in their stride, and (realise) it's just a label that society gives us," Tsui said. 2013, "BE MY KEPT WOMAN - actress asked to 'name her price'", Malaysia Chronicle (Wednesday, July 31, 2013)

Forms

Relateds

OL () · キャリアウーマン

Synonyms

catherinette · spinster · 3S

Translations (8)

fi ylijäämänainen (leftover woman) · cmn 剩女 (leftover woman) · ru ста́рая де́ва (leftover woman) · hy տանը մնացած (leftover woman) · tr kalık (leftover woman) · ru невостре́бованная же́нщина (leftover woman) · yue 剩女 (leftover woman) · ko 올드 미스 (leftover woman)